Grapple.



.PATENTED MAY 23, 1905. v. GOBTZ, JR. GRAPPLE APPLICATION FILE-D DBO.1,1904.

NITED STATES lcatented May 23, 1905.

PATENT Orrrcn.

GRAPPLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,827, dated May 23,1905.

Application fil d December 1, 1904. Serial No. 235,072.

more especially adapted for use in the collection of sugar-cane from thefields.

The principal object-of the invention is to provide a grapple soconstructed and cooperating with the elevating means that the jaws willcompletely close beneath the load to be elevated before the actualelevation of the load commences during the initial movement of theelevating means, whereby is insured the grabbing of the whole heapbefore the grapple begins its rise from the ground, and at the same timethe grapple is of a strong and rigid construction as compared tograpples having flexiblymounted working elements.

Another advantage of the device is-in the arrangement and operation ofthe tripping mechanism so that the grapple is not unhooked at any timefrom the elevating-cable, but the discharge of the load is automatic bythe gravitation of the grapple upon a slack in the elevating-cable, thetripping-cable being held taut and the peculiar position and dispositionof the tripping-arms relatively to the pivotpoint of the grapple-jawsproviding a greater leverage for swinging the jaws on their pivotalaxis, and hence a more positive and quicker discharge of the load.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the followingspecification, and the particular points of novelty will be moredistinctly pointed out in the claims.

In order that the said invention may be more clearly understood,reference is had to the accompanying drawings, illustrating thepreferred embodiment of the same, in which like characters designatecorresponding parts in the several views, and in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of asuitable canecart with the improved grapple suspendedthereon; Fig. 2, a view in side elevation of the grapple in its openposition; Fig. 8, anend elevation of Fig. 2, and Fig. I a view in sideelevation of the grapple in its closed position.

For the purpose only of illustrating more clearly its operation in Fig.1 of the drawings the grapple has been illustrated as operativelyassociated with a novel form of cane-cart, specifically described in andforming the subjectmatter of a separate application filed August 11, 190Serial No. 220,432.

Briefly, a suitable vehicle is provided with a swinging boom 1, swiveledto the central mast 2, stayed at its outer end by the stay-rod 3 andprovidedat its lower swiveled end with the operating-handle 4, 5 beingan extensible and collapsible support for the grapple carried by theswinging boom.

6 6 and 6 are tackle and blocks, respectively, swung from the boom andforming the elevating means for the grapple.

7 is a tripping-cable having diverging ends 7 connected to the trippingarms of the grapple. It will be noted that the trippingoable 7 at itsouter end reeves over a pulley in the double block 6 of theblock-and-tackle arrangement, while the inner end of said tripping-cablereeves over a pulley (not shown) located on one side of the mast 2 in aposition substantially opposite the pulley 8", hereinafter referred to,the free end of the tripping-cable thence passing downwardly along themast 2.

8 is a cable reeving through pulleys 8 and 8 for operating extensiblesupport 5, and 9 represents stay-rods for the central mast.

As clearly illustrated in the drawings, the grapple comprises the jaws Aand B, provided with the teeth a b, projecting inwardly from the longarms al), suitably spaced rigidly apart, as at '0, and converging towarda common center and pivoted together, as at C.

A B are spaced extension-arms forming substantially divergingcontinuations of the jaws A B, respectively, and at their outer ends arepivotally connected, as at do, with the spaced links D D, respectiyely,which in turn are pivoted together at their other ends, as

and links D D, as seen in Fig. 2, when the lazy-tongs are collapsed andthe grapple open and extending laterally of the grapple who the jaws areclosed, as in Fig. 4C. a

The grapple or grab being in the open position, as shown in Figs. 2 and3, ready to close around a bundle of cane and the block 6 hooked ontothe pivot (Z, the mule hitched to the cable 6, pulling on same, firstextends the lazy-tongs, then in the position indicated in Figs. 2 and 3,until the parts assume the position indicated in Fig. 4, whereby thegrapple or grab is not elevated from the ground until the hooks havebeen completely closed around the heap, when the load is elevated to theposition shown in Fig. 1. The grapple being in its elevated position, todump a load it is simply necessary to hold the cable 7 taut and slackenthe cable 6, when the weight of the load itself will automatically tripthe grab, the diverging ends 7 of the cable 7 being suitably secured tothe tripping-arms A B.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. The combinationwith a grapple, comprising pivoted jaws, and means for completelyclosing said jaws beneath the load to be elevated upon initial operationof the elevating means but prior to theinitial elevation of load; oftripping-arms extending outwardly from said jaws below the point oftheir pivotal connection.

2. The combination with a grapple, comprising pivoted jaws, and meansfor completely closing said jaws beneath the load to be elevated uponinitial operation of the elevating means but prior to the initialelevation of load;

of tripping-arms extending outwardly from said jaws at substantiallyright angles thereto, below the point of their pivotal connection.

3. The combination with a grapple, comprising pivotally-mounted jawshaving extension-arms forming substantially diverging continuationsthereof; of a pair of pivotinglinks pivotally connected at theirdiverging ends, respectively, to said extension-arms and formingtherewith a lazy-tongs arrangement; and tripping-arms extendingoutwardly from said jaws below the point of their pivotal connection.

4. The combination with a grapple, comprising pivotally-mounted jawshaving extension -arms forming substantially diverging continuationsthereof; of a pair of pivotinglinks pivotally connected at theirdiverging ends, respectively, to said extension-arms and formingtherewith a lazy-tongs arrangement; and tripping-arms extendingoutwardly from said jaws at substantially rightangles thereto below thepoint of their pivotal connection.

5. The combination with a grapple, comprising a pair of jaws pivotallyconnected together at their upper ends, having inwardlyextending teethat their lower ends; of spaced extension-arms forming substantiallydiverging continuations of said jaws; a pair of piv oting-linkspivotally connected at their diverging ends, respectively, to saidextensionarms, and forming therewith a lazy-tongs arrangement; andtripping-arms extending outwardly from said jaws below their pivotalpoint.

6. The combination with a grapple comprisinga pair of jaws pivotedtogether at their upper ends and provided at their lower ends withinwardly-extending teeth; of spaced extension-arms forming divergingcontinuations of said jaws; a pair of spaced links pivotally connectedtogether at one end and at their other ends respectively pivoted to theends of said extension-arms and forming therewith a lazy-tongsarrangement; and tripping-arms extending outwardly from said jaws belowtheir pivot point and adapted to project through and above said spacedextension-arms and links when the grapple is in the open position andtransversely of the grapple when in its closed position.

7. The combination with a support, of a grapple, comprising a pair ofjaws pivotally connected at their upper ends and provided at their lowerends with inwardly-projecting teeth; spaced extension-arms formingsubstantially diverging continuations of said jaws; a pair of spacedlinks pivotally connected togetherat one end and at their other endspivotally connected respectively to said extension-arms and formingtherewith a lazy-tongs arrangement; tripping-arms extending outwardlyfrom said jaws at substantially right angles thereto below theirpivot-point, an operating-cable connected at one end to the top of saidlazy-tongs arrangement and suspending said grapple from said support;and atripping-cable carried by said support and connected to saidtripping-arms.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VALENTINE GOETZ, JR.

Witnesses R. J. Lu GARDEUR, CHARLES L. ERICHE.

